NEWMARKET, ENGLAND (Sep. 26, 2020) – Marc Chan’s New Mandate (IRE) landed Saturday’s Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (G2) for 2-year-olds at Newmarket and secured his guaranteed start in the US$1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) as part of the “Win and You’re In” international Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is comprised of more than 80 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into corresponding races of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov. 6-7.
New Mandate, a gelded son of New Bay (GB) out of the Authorized (IRE) mare Mishhar (IRE), stepped up in company to score his third consecutive success of the season for trainer Ralph Beckett. New Mandate was settled at the rear early by Frankie Dettori before kicking home to win by three-quarters of a length from Ontario (IRE), with the Clive Cox-trained Cobh (IRE) back in third.
Celebrating his sixth Royal Lodge Stakes victory, Dettori was quick to praise his mount.
“They went slow and I had to kick earlier than I wanted to, but he’s a good horse and has gears. A mile is spot-on at the moment.”
As New Mandate is a gelding he is ineligible for a number of upcoming domestic Group 1 contests, with Beckett eyeing up a potential trip to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
Beckett said: “We will think about it [Breeders’ Cup]. He is a gelding so can’t run in Group 1’s in the spring. I think if he got beat today I wouldn’t be so positive about going, but now he’s done that we’ll certainly think about it.”
New Mandate, the 9-4 favorite, finished the 1 mile in 1:36:87 over a course listed as good. Bookmakers Paddy Power make him 10-1 for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, the Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for New Mandate to start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, which will be run at 1 mile over the Keeneland turf course. Breeders’ Cup also will provide a travel allowance of $40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.
